


Wonderland

by evilwearsabow (orphan_account)



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alice in Wonderland, Alternate Universe - Alice in Wonderland, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Artist Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes Has Issues, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Bucky Barnes is the hatter, Genderqueer Bucky Barnes, Genderqueer Character, Happy Ending, M/M, Mild Angst, Multi, Nonbinary Bucky Barnes, Other, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Romance, Sarah rogers is Alice, Skinny!Steve, Steve turns taller in wonderland, good ending, illustrator!steve rogers, stucky!alice in wonderland
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-05
Updated: 2015-06-05
Packaged: 2018-04-02 23:48:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4078573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/evilwearsabow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He tilts it, then is ultimately stunned by what he see’s from the direction of which he came. A painting.</p><p>Oh gee, oh dear…</p><p>It’s a painting, and an exact replica of his tea-table. Oh but now he remembers! This is exactly where he left off! Exactly what had happened before poofing here into– Alice knows where!</p><p>Running his timid fingers over oily paint, some of its contents smear upon his fingers and the hatter freaks out. No! Not his home! No, no, no, no!</p><p>But what he does with his hands makes it worse, the painting further ruins; and how queer!</p><p>He was one of the best, one of the most creative in Wonderland… and to think?</p><p>Finally he grasps the painting, with greasy fingers, cacophony of colors that bleeds through cloth and skin. Chemical that seeps to his blood, already riddled with lead and other things that make him hiccup in speech and skip when he should saunter.</p><p>His wooden hand with metal rods, forever stained.</p><p>“No!” He cries, real tears, what happened? Why is he here?</p><p>And who, with Alice’s-hair, sleeps nearby?</p><p>(The one where Steve is the Son of Alice (Sarah) and doesn't know it, until a strange visitor drops in on him.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wonderland

He scampers on creaky floorboards, peddling away with his aching knees and the damn arm on him that just wont quit wiggling his wooden joints a bit in obvious dissatisfaction. A modest room, a room with wooden floorboards, scratched and weary. Polish muted and worn in most places, barely any furniture, heck, barely any rooms. 

Why here? Why now? 

Wondering a bit too loudly; he's clicking his tongue against his throat and making wild eyes around the dimly lit room. Why so dark? Oh, it's night. Night time in a world very different from his.

Such a world it is.

How did he get here?

A few blinks, a rub to his noggin; wait! Where is his hat? Oh no! His hat, his very important, one of a kind, magical, spectacle, of a thing with all his favorite needles, pins, trinkets and scarves. They made him feel beautiful, like a princess in her royal majesty's court. Queen Alice, a goddess, in his eyes.

Ah, his mind rambled. Time to find that hat...

He does end up finding it, cause the room is much too small, much too lonesome to lose such a hat as this. 

So with his fingerless gloved hands, James plucks it up off of the ground. The center of the ground. Dusting it off with his elbow, smirking wickedly once its placed atop his head.

Aha! 

He tilts it, then is ultimately stunned by what he see's from the direction of which he came. A painting on the wall. 

Oh gee, oh dear. It's a painting, and an exact replica of his tea-table. Oh but now he remembers! This is exactly where he left off! Exactly what had happened before puffing here into-- Alice knows where! 

Running his timid fingers over oily paint, some of its contents smear upon his fingers and the hatter freaks out. No! Not his home! No, no, no, no! 

But what he does with his hands makes it worse, the painting further ruins; and how queer! 

He was one of the best, one of the most creative in Wonderland... and to think?

Finally he grasps the painting, with greasy fingers, cacophony of colors that bleeds through cloth and skin. Chemical that seeps to his blood, already riddled with lead and other things that make him hiccup in speech and skip when he should saunter. 

His wooden hand with metal rods, forever stained.

"No!" He cries, real tears, what happened? Why is he here? 

And who, with Alice's-hair, sleeps nearby?

Well, best not to remain and find out, he's never been one to try and walk into the worst of situations.

Okay, so as far as he remembers.

The floor creaks with every little step, so the hatter winces with every other step despite how light footed he is. It doesn't stop the shuffling he hears behind him, little mumbles and lips smacking together, sucking away the sleep from their corners. 

“I really need to talk to Marty about the mice...” A pleasantly deep voice that slowly rouses from sleepy to normal. It's all exactly what Bucky doesn't need, truly, he has no idea how he got here and why. (Okay he has an idea on how, but an idea isn't much of a cause if you're not actively exploring this to reality.) 

“Who the hell are you?” The blonde says as he turns around in shock, grabbing a baseball bat from beside his desk. Knocking over a cup of pens that pitter patter to the ground in a heap of colors, copic cacophony. 

Bucky turns and is momentarily stunned at the sight, blinking, tucking hair behind his ear that sits at his chin and shaggy. An orange sort of blouse that flows elegantly on his form to gladly give emphasis on a long pair of legs in black leather trousers. 

“Oh, uh...” Fumbling with his paint covered hands and looking rather ashamed. 

The bat is fully drawn and it doesn't take a genius to realize just whats going on. “Wo-woah-hehe-hey now, now, I didn't mean to uh, be here, I don't even know what 'here' is so I... you--” He looks at the desk one more time and still stunned by pens of course yet this time he see's a small picture that he mistook as a mirror with first glance.

A small boy, and a beautiful blonde woman who holds the boy happily in her arms.

“Alice?” Says the taller man with a whisper that would wake the seven worlds.

“You are-- Alice's son!” 

The small—man-- of sorts has his bat drawn and raised. A brow quirked with so much attitude in his eyes that makes hatter stop and stare at them a bit longer. A different sort of blue, just like Alice's; a woman he's grown to love, and revere as a saint, as a mother.

The Savior of Wonderland. 

Many years ago, The Great Alice defeated the jabberwock and killed the evil queen's dragon in merely a day. Saving the kingdom, and many others, in tow. 

“By Alice herself, you're Steve, you are the White Prince, the Queen's Son! Oh my- holy-” Bucky gives a deep bow, and its obvious the little guy isn't convinced and the next thing he knows he gets a bat to the face. Right to his nose to be honest with the first swipe. 

“Get out!”

“Why- Ow! I- Please Steve--”

“Stalker! How do you know my name-- and Alice, isn't my mothers name so get the hell outta my house!” 

The bat goes to the back of the Hatters head with another crack, Bucky goes swaying and hits the floor. 

“Please-I- Sarah wouldn't have wanted this I promise!” Says Bucky, at a last effort for redemption. And so it is, Steve's eyes wide and angry.

“How dare you even-- my mom is dead, she's been dead for years... get out of my apartment. Just, go.” 

The hatter is holding his nose that's spouting blood and how strange? That hasn't ever happened before! Of course in wonderland you'd just put you're nose back on but no matter how much he rubbed his face the nose never felt better. 

Steve shudders and pops his neck, adrenaline making him shaky. Just a little guy with a bat and a breathing problem. His hearing aid is on the table, it popped out when he fell asleep and he's heaving a bit too much for comfort. 

“Stay, right there, I'm calling the cops.” 

Cops? Bucky tilts his head back to try and stop the bleeding as he pinches his nose. “Wa-wait my prince, wait, I mean it, I know your mother. Your mother is a wonderful woman, calls you her 'stand tall' boy, yes? She'd sing to you before bed a very special song and it goes like--” While rather off-tune, Bucky starts to hum a sweet lighthearted tune. A bit too quickly, but the same song that was sung to Steve as a child. 

The blonde drops his bat in shock, shaking harder.

“You fucking creep! Who are you?!”

Bucky can hear that heartbeat from here.

“Me? Who am I you ask? Why you sound just like a friend of mine, I am they, I am the creative councilor of Wonderland. I'm the Hatter, at your service.” Another bow, even sitting on the floor.

“Oh-kaaay...” Steve looks rightfully horrified, reaching for his crappy flip cellphone on his desk. 

“Wait, don't call the--” The cops? What are cops? 

“The guard, don't call your guard, I'm a friend, honest, I'd never hurt you, never hurt Alice—Sarah's child. The white prince...” 

The utter desperation on Bucky's face only makes Steve wilt further, sigh, this guy isn't dangerous. Just, insane, and he feels bad for the guy. Truly. 

“Okay...” 

Somehow that tone made the Hatter perk up rather efficiently. 

“Good, oh good, I thought for just a second you were gonna go and tell your guard and have me locked up for a long time...” 

“Look, I think, we got off on the wrong foot. You, knew my mom?” 

Hatter doesn't look that much older than Steve, if at all, so it puts so many questions in his head. Many that need answering, that have needed answering for a long, long, time. 

“Y-- knew her? I still know her, you're mother is alive and well, living in the white palace of Wonderland!” He grins cheerily, even with blood smeared on his face.

“Right.” Steve says, trying not to sound as unimpressed as he feels. The guy, is batty, he can't blame him for his mental illness. 

“Look, Mr... Hatter?”

“Mn?” Bucky stands up dusting himself off, along with his hat, Steve's heart is still racing and his breathing isn't getting any better so when he turns to move for his desk he just sort of collapses. Yet before he can hit the ground the Hatter catches him close to his chest.

“Now, I wouldn't want you to fall; are you alright?” 

“C-can't-br-breath my- inhaler...” 

Bucky has no idea what it is so he starts to scramble in his bag. Muttering to himself, “Great, good, gee, you are easily ailed aren't you?” Steve looks pissed at that, also frustrated cause his inhaler is on his desk, but he's too weak and coughing to much to explain. 

From out his satchel, comes a tiny little bottle. 

Drink Me.

“Go on now, you might want to--” 

Steve is pushing it away but once he touches it, touches Hatters hand, the bottle, he see's her. Hatter hasn't the slightest clue, as he's insistently trying to help, but Steve see's her. 

Her face.

Steve, my dear, my stand up boy...

Steve's blinking wildly, breathing short and broken. Just how he feels.

Drink it.

She says, Sarah says.

“Mom?” 

“That’s right Prince, you're mother is Alice...” As he continues to try and drive the bottle to the new found princes' lips. Without further to say, Steve grabs it with shaking hands and drinks it just as his mom said. It's stupid, its scaring him, this thing could be full of stuff he's allergic to, full of narcotics or drugs but he's out of it and lacking oxygen. 

“Shi-shit...” Steve mutters as he takes in breath. 

This, makes him gape.

He can breath, he's breathing normally. Sure its a slow process of heaving, a big and certain hand rubbing circles in his back. Hatter with the largest smile around.

“Better?”

Steve nods, still wordless, yet finally not breathless. 

“Yes, why of course, its from the good queen herself, I'm sure its perfect, it's wonderful... are you feeling better?” 

“Uh--” 

“Of course you are!” Bucky pats the smaller ones back just a tad to strongly. “How are you feeling?”

“What the hell is in that stuff?” Steve is horrified over this whole situation and really tired, really, really tired. Looking around the room as if to make sure he's still home after all of this. And he is, god, thank god he is. 

Except...

“What the-- my paintings!”

Rage flows through him, stomping over to them as he rubs his eyes furiously. Things are starting to get kind of blurry. Why? Whats going on?

Did something get in his contacts?

He scuffles to the bathroom and takes them out to check them and on his eyes in the mirror. Gaping.

“What. The. Hell.” Steve murmurs. 

He can see again and there's a sort of popping in his right ear and he is shocked with how loud things are now. The dripping in the sink, the sound of loud clattering out in the living room.

Loud noises in his living room?!

Steve is forced to think of something else other than the face in his head and all the other things physically that are now okay with his head. Some weird ass spider-man shit that just happened to him. 

Bucky is trying to put the paintings, the ruined, paintings back on the wall. 

“No-no- just stop it, stop it! You've done enough, sit down, shut up and let me get my jacket...” 

Bucky looks like a kicked puppy, gripping onto his wooden hand with a sort of desperation. “But Steve--”

“Not, another word. We're...” 

If you can't beat them...

“We're going to some of my friends, they're all really nice and will take care of you for a while.” Steve says softly. 

“Really? Are they friends of the queen too?” 

“Yep, and they are part of her court here, all in white coats. Really nice, and will take you some place for er-- rest.” Steve lies, crappily. 

But Bucky seems to nod along, totally fooled, “Oh? Oh wow! That’s awesome, we'll head out now?”

“Just, be quiet, and we'll head out soon...” Steve gets his leather jacket that’s way too big for his scrawny form. He covers his ears with a beanie and a plaid scarf, feet secure in boots as they bustle out into the cold. 

“These guys used to work for my mother, for uh, Alice, you should be able to trust them for a while.” Steve explains as they head for a brisk walk towards the hospital. The Hatter follows obediently, rather excited looking flurry in his eyes and innocent as well. No idea for whats in store. 

Steve can see! He can see now and his hearing is better, sure, but the loudness is insane! How does anyone do anything around here with how loud the traffic is?

At least its dead of night, the brightness doesn't kill him like the sun would, although the neon's are rather different at this angle. His eyes feel—well-- they feel brand new. 

“What was in that drink?” Muttering to himself, and Hatter seems to take that as an actual question. 

“What? Who knows! How? The queen made it!” He smiles, shrugs sheepishly. When they get to the large brick building in question. Royal azure lights that mark its existence as a hospital, “Here it is, just follow my lead and listen to these nice people. You'll be here for awhile but don't be scared, I'll be back to get you.”

Bucky nods, still stunned by the size of this building, a short walk here because Steve chose his apartment wisely and due to his health it was a necessity. 

“Yes, of course your highness.”  
This is the Queen's son! Why should he not trust him? So when they get to these friends of Steve's...

“Sit here, I'll go get my friends!” Steve says a little to lighthearted for such a place. White lights, white halls, but not as he expected. People in coats, coats to similar to a time when hope was nothing and life was abysmal.

Bucky sits there, legs crossed, shaking his knee all jittery-like. He looks around with wide-eyed curiousity when finally the prince is back with a woman and two big men at her side. 

“Mr... Hatter...” Steve eyes the doctor knowingly, to fit, to go along with the rouse. 

“Yes Prince Steve?” Hatter smiles a little tentative, uncertain as to why he feels so uneasy. 

“This is my friend Laura Glenn, she, is going to take you to your new room. But you've got to do everything she says okay? Before we can go to wonderland of course...”

Hatter shakes his head in affirmative a few too many times. 

“Y-yes of course, yes, well, I mean, we'll get there, and we'll have tea and you'll be reunited with Alice!” Hatter smiles, paint covered hands, blood smeared on his face. Trembling a little. 

Stands slowly and goes to the Doctor who smiles at Steve warmly, Hatter looks back at Steve but the blonde just wafts him on to 'go' just 'go.' 

Bucky can't help but feel wrong, all of this is wrong. 

The two men grab him tightly at each arm but Hatter doesn't budge, just slumps a little, shudders. “Yes-indeed. White coats of the queen, white pure as the deed led to kill the Red...” He starts to hum, singing always made him feel better in times that troubled him. 

He's respectful even when they take his bag, they take his pretty clothes, and worst of all, they take his hat. Yes, he fights for that, he fights to keep it, pulls on it, never hurts anyone. But much like a petulant child.

Give it back--

Give it back--

"That's mine! No! You can't have it!” 

And just like that, he's given some magic right in his own living arm. His left one is gone, they took his prosthetic, and replace his clothes with stale white clothes. 

He drowses, he wobbles, and falls asleep on a stiff white mat.

“I'll stay here, my prince. I'll wait for you...” He groans, the lights dim in his eyes and he's out like a lamp in the night. Dreaming of blue eyes in many forms.

**Author's Note:**

> It's unbeta'd and an idea I had for a roleplay. It's going a little differently in the roleplay than it is in this. Or at least that's the plan. I hope this rolls over well but I figured; it had to be done!


End file.
